Cut Out + Keep

Office Chair Up Cycle

first project using wood stain and my first try at upholstery work.

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/office-chair-up-cycle • Posted by Haught Tea

I found this chair at my Last Chance Thrift store located at the Marina, CA dump. It was $5. The finish and fabric were hideous, but it had good lines, and fully functional office chair base and all the rest was made of solid wood! I invested about $20 in supplies and materials. First thing I did was take the whole chair apart. For this project I used a heat gun and putty knife to remove the original painted finish. This took a long time as there were lots of small spaces to work between. Next, I removed the upholstery covering the seat (the inner foam and batting were still in good condition so I just left them on). I labeled the old fabric so I would remember how they were sewn together, then ripped it apart and used it as the pattern for my new fabric. When I was done sewing my duplicate I staple-gunned the new cover onto the seat. I then got to work on the wood. Sanding it down, then staining it, then coating it with a clear satin finish. That took a few days of dry time to complete it all.* When it was dry I bolted the whole thing back together and there you are! *Total time includes curing for the stain and seal.

You will need

Project Budget
Cheap

Time

96 h 00

Difficulty

So-so
Medium 103299 2f2014 07 15 170241 deskchair Medium 103299 2f2014 07 15 170251 oldfinish Medium 103299 2f2014 07 15 170314 removecover Medium 103299 2f2014 07 15 170325 patternlabel Medium 103299 2f2014 07 15 170448 patternpinned Medium 103299 2f2014 07 15 170343 chairsmall Medium 103299 2f2014 07 15 170401 stainparts

Description

I found this chair at my Last Chance Thrift store located at the Marina, CA dump. It was $5. The finish and fabric were hideous, but it had good lines, and fully functional office chair base and all the rest was made of solid wood! I invested about $20 in supplies and materials. First thing I did was take the whole chair apart. For this project I used a heat gun and putty knife to remove the original painted finish. This took a long time as there were lots of small spaces to work between. Next, I removed the upholstery covering the seat (the inner foam and batting were still in good condition so I just left them on). I labeled the old fabric so I would remember how they were sewn together, then ripped it apart and used it as the pattern for my new fabric. When I was done sewing my duplicate I staple-gunned the new cover onto the seat. I then got to work on the wood. Sanding it down, then staining it, then coating it with a clear satin finish. That took a few days of dry time to complete it all.* When it was dry I bolted the whole thing back together and there you are! *Total time includes curing for the stain and seal.

Instructions